I’m really enjoying exploring watercolours with pencil and charcoal at the moment so for tonights piece I decided to use the medium again. I’ve wanted to use this photo of Jane’s for ages and have finally got around to doing something with it. Jane took a series of photos of the ‘Equicirque’ in London. They are a company who put on magnificent equestrian shows and tour around the world with their productions. This particular horse and rider were from an act called ‘Los Rios’ and apparently the girl was only 15 years old!

By using a limited colour palette and being quite bold with the paint application, the image has been simplified which I think works well. The horse is actually grey but because i forced myself to use just a few colours I have re-created it in my own way. The angle of the horse and rider makes it an interesting piece and adds that element of mystery.

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

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For day 26 I decided to use another fabulous photo of Lorenzos grey horses taken by Jane but this time I didn’t want it to look exactly like the photo. I wanted to stylise the horse and make it my own. The photo itself is very ethereal and as I am a huge Pre-Raphaelite fan i looked to Burne-Jones for a little inspiration. I am always drawn to his watercolour studies and the way he uses those rich, and sometimes subtle, blues and warm earthy colours.

Limiting my pallette, I feel, works well for this piece. i kept the painting quite loose and i let the drips go wherever they wanted to go. I love this way of working and working ‘with’ the paint rather than going against it. Working with it can lead to some unusual and unique paintings.

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

A higher resolution image is available to view if you may be interested in purchase.

Today has been a ‘finishing off a painting day’ for me. I’ve had this painting sitting in my studio for months and was in the very early stages of progress. I thought it was about time I got around to completing it so I have used the painting challenge to help push me forward with it.

This gorgeous Spanish stallion is owned by a Facebook friend of mine and they kindly gave me permission to use their photo. The peacefulness of the horse attracted me to the image straight away. It has that medieval feel to it which I am always drawn to. I could have gone into detail and defined each and every wave of the mane but I didn’t want it to look exactly like the photo so I changed it and blended the yellows and the blues together creating more of a blurred effect, which I feel gives more of an ethereal quality to it.

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

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The Medieval period!…sigh! I am absolutely OBSESSED with it! The horses, the romance, the clothes, everything! Like the Civil War, I have been interested in all things medieval since I was a child and again, it stems from when my dad used to take us to look at old ruined castles where there would be re-enactment groups which brought the history to life. I guess it has all just remained with me ever since.

A Facebook friend of mine has very kindly allowed me to use her wonderful photo of her and her horse. Both horse and rider look absolutely stunning and I couldn’t resist painting it. I’ve been meaning to get around to creating a painting such as this for months and this challenge has allowed me to make a start on what will be an ongoing project. I’m really enjoying these swirling backgrounds and each time I do them I feel they are becoming more effective. I will keep experimenting with the idea.

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

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I just can’t believe it is day 20! Time has flown so quickly! Today i have finally got around to painting this gorgeous shire x, Duchess, whose photo was donated to us on our facebook page by her owner. I really enjoyed painting her bright bay coat. I could see pinks, purples, blues, ochres. It’s amazing just how many colours you begin to notice once you start to ‘look’ more at something. Colour used to scare me but now I have so much more confidence and want to learn more about the subject. Again, I have tried to experiment with the background with this one to make the painting a bit different and to add a little atmosphere and interest. I’m really liking using this technique.

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

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I have been interested in the English Civil War for as long as I can remember. My
dad was always taking my brothers and I to English Heritage sites which were linked
with that particular era and having one of these sites situated near my home, I
feel a strong connection with the subject. I have wanted to produce a series of
paintings based on the Civil War for some time and after seeing Jane’s photos
she took the other week, it spurred me on to try and paint something. I have a
few friends in the Sealed Knott and they have been kind enough to allow me to
use their photos for my work. I created a few pieces based on the Civil War for
my 100 day challenge two years ago but now I feel I am more confident with
paint I believe I can, at last, begin to do the subject justice.

Today’s piece is in watercolour and pencil and is slightly more detailed than
day 12 but also retains that looseness which I love when using this medium.
I’ve limited my palette in order to help prevent getting too detailed. I have
also experimented with the background to see whether that same dream-like
effect I use in oils can be achieved in watercolour an it most certainly can!
Here, the tension mounts as both horse and rider are alert and ready for
battle!

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

A higher resolution image is available to view if you may be interested in purchase.

Todays painting is all about experimenting and looking at light. I took this photo when I went on a weeks painting workshop with the Society of Equestrian Artists this year. This horse was one of our models and I spent a lot of time with them in the evenings taking lots of photos. I love the way the evening sun shines through his tail like liquid gold. I’ve never really portrayed light like this in a painting before and I have to agree with Jane that painting light is so satisfying. I still have a long way to go but think I’m slowly getting there in achieving the effect.

In this painting I’m also beginning to look at combining the figurative with abstract. The houses in the hills in the background have been simplified and are represented by creating abstract block shapes. I’m also starting to look at different effects I can create using the oils which can be seen on the left hand side. I have used this effect a few times during the challenge and I believe it gives a dream like quality to my work which I’m really enjoying using. I think I could take this further. The way I have portrayed the horse is also a lot softer than some of my other pieces and as a whole I think it all works well.

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

A higher resolution image is available to view if you may be interested in purchase.

This photo was donated to Janey and I via our Facebook page. I recognised him straight away! He has the most unique eye I have ever seen. I had previously been commissioned to do a pencil drawing of Rikki by his owner so I jumped at the chance to try and portray him in oils, just to see if I could do it.

I am so pleased with the outcome. I particularly enjoyed creating the light on his coat which helps highlight all the veins on his face. I also decided to make the background slightly more different rather than just blocking it in with one colour.

I knew before I began this challenge that there would be days when I couldn’t physically get to my studio and produce an oil painting. Today is one of those days! Unfortunately the day job has had to take priority and I have had to go on a training day so in turn have lost a full day painting.

I know you’re all probably thinking “but that’s a black horse not a grey or a bay!” Well you’d be absolutely right. I have wanted to paint this beautiful Cob for a while and hope to paint her in oils in the future and seeing as though I only have a black and sepia watercolour pencil at home along with a pencil and charcoal, I have had to use what I have so have opted to paint her for today. I adore using mixed media in this way. I really feel like more of ‘me’ is coming through. The style is loose and steps away from the photographic paintings I have recently been producing allowing me to explore a different feel and style. I hope to apply this method of working more into my oil paintings

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

A higher resolution image is available to view if you may be interested in purchase.

Not only one horse today folks but TWO in one painting! I have come to the conclusion that I must be mad! Anyway so these beautiful Lusitanos are taken from yet another photo by Jane Lazenby taken at the Great Yorkshire Show. They are just two of many horses owned by Lorenzo. I am always so in awe of this stunning breed. The way they carry their heads, the way they move. They are just magic to watch! I haven’t been lucky enough to see Lorenzo for real but I definitely hope I get to see his spectacular display one day. And when that day comes I’ll be there armed with my camera!

I really enjoyed creating this piece. I like the contrasts between the grey on the left and the fleabitten grey on the right. I have again introduced subtle blues, purples and yellows and even red into the fleabitten grey. Maybe in my next grey horse piece I could make these colours more vibrant maybe? I know this one is photographic in style again but I find that doing this kind of work now and again does actually help me to understand how to apply oil in a more ‘traditional’ way. Learning from this method of working then allows me to push forward with my more experimental pieces.

Email: roxygooderham@hotmail.com

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

A higher resolution image is available to view if you may be interested in purchase.